


Whether we shall meet again I know not

by ElanneH



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: Jedi: Fallen Order (Video Game), Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Anakin is such a dick sometimes, Angst and Feels, Cal Kestis Needs a Hug, Cal will need thrapy after this, F/M, Family Feels, I feel almost bad, I love him dearly but calm down son, Obi-Wan Kenobi Needs a Hug, bo-katan also probably needs a hug, bobiwan are cal's parents, everything is (almost) exactly the same, if you expect fluff tho try again, space gingers, they won't get any - pay attention i told you this is still star wars prequels era, this is still star wars
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-20
Updated: 2020-10-26
Packaged: 2021-03-08 18:35:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,189
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27121219
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ElanneH/pseuds/ElanneH
Summary: Obi-Wan catches a pair of big green eyes across the bar. She is very beautiful, long red hair, pale skin. They end up talking and he quickly discovers that she is no blushing maid but a seasoned warrior, even though, he guesses, she is a few years younger than him. He doesn't tell her that he is a Jedi. That isn't quite a popular occupation on Mandalore."So will you finally tell me? What is a human like you, doing in a bar like this?"ORWhat if everything was exactly the same but Obi-Wan and Bo-Katan had a one night stand and ended up having a baby - Cal.
Relationships: Obi-Wan Kenobi & Cal Kestis, Obi-Wan Kenobi/Bo-Katan Kryze
Comments: 23
Kudos: 143





	1. Part 1

Obi-Wan is 23 when he steps on the planet Mandalore for the first time. If he is being honest, it's not for him - way too industrial, way too conflicted as the people on it. He falls for Satine Kryze merely a year later. He couldn't stand her in the beginning, as she seemed to disagree with pretty much everything he said. Sometimes, he thinks, just for the sake of argument. For someone so invested in being pacifist she sure likes arguing with him and he said to her as much. Which, of course, prompts another argument. And then they are kissing and Obi-Wan forgets what they were arguing about altogether. Not long after that Satine is finally safe and he and his Master can finally leave Mandalore. It's a bittersweet ending of this journey and he hopes she will ask him to stay. Because he would. He would leave his entire life and everything he knew and what he is, for her. That is maybe why she never asks.

And that‘s why he, on the last evening, of their stay, wanders through the streets of Mandalore, not sure what he is looking for until he ends up in a seedy cantina on the lower levels. Looking around, he is glad that he changed from his Jedi tunics into standard civilian clothes. He drinks and he drinks and tries not to think about how absolutely rubbish of a Jedi he is being right now.

 _This is not the way, my young Padawan_ , echoes Qui-Gon’s words in his mind. He ignores them.

Obi-Wan catches a pair of big green eyes across the bar. She is very beautiful, long red hair, pale skin. They end up talking and he quickly discovers that she is no blushing maid but a seasoned warrior, even though, he guesses, she is a few years younger than him. He doesn't tell her that he is a Jedi. That isn't quite a popular occupation on Mandalore.

"So will you finally tell me? What is a human like you, doing in a bar like this?" 

"I could ask you the same thing," he cringes internally at the lame response, but she laughs and he finds that sound oddly familiar.

"Trying to forget someone, I suppose."

"Same with me," he says honestly.

She eyes his now empty cup. "Is it working?" 

"Not really,” Obi-Wan sighs, “if I'm being honest."

The redhead across him hums, one of her hands reaches to his shoulder and then leans in slowly. He knows she is giving him time to move, to stop her, to push her away. He doesn't.

The kiss is sweet, almost chaste. He didn't expect that from her but Obi-Wan finds himself liking it. He blinks as she pulls away, so slightly, he smiles as the blue meets green. She is still so very close. The Force seems to simmer around them. Time to stop drinking.

"How about now?" she smirks.

Instead of answering, he cups her face and brings their lips back together in a kiss that is everything but innocent. He finds himself liking the way her lips feel against his. The way her hair feels under his hands. The way her hand cups the back of his neck. Everything but that fades into a dull background and he lets it.

They kiss for a while until she moves back again, licking her lips.

"Do you..." she starts breathlessly, "do you want...?"

His alcohol muddled brain decided to tease her. "For someone so confident you seem nervous asking for what you want. Did I take your breath away?"

She laughs again, a warm sound, and there it is, the feeling of knowing it.

"You will have to try harder than that," she finds her footing again, the redhead grins. "Do you want to spend the night with me?"

His mind wanders to Satine and he mentally kicks himself.

Don't be a fool. You are a Jedi, she is a Duchess. She told you to let her go. Attachments are forbidden and you have a beautiful woman right here, who expects nothing of you but a night of physical comfort.

Attachments might be forbidden but sex is not. Obi-Wan is no blushing maiden either, he had his fair share of awkward stumbles with Quinlan when they were growing up and discovering themselves. And then there were a few others. He was never in love in any of them, it's not the same like with-

He blinks and nods. "Lead the way."

They go to a hotel nearby, nothing fancy but also nothing filthy. Falling in bed with this woman is easy. They make a quick job taking off their clothes, he lets her take charge after that, sensing that's what she needs. She pushes him onto the bed, leaning over him, her hair falls over them like a red waterfall. 

"I haven’t met many Mandalorians with this shade of red hair." he says between breaths, not really sure why.

"You talk too much. Do you have a career in politics?" she whispers in his ear.

"Don't really like politicians."

The smile she gives him is wide, predatory but most of all genuine. She pushes him on his back.

"We have so much in common."

*

She is still asleep when Obi-Wan untangles himself from her and starts getting dressed. His head is pounding from last night and he wishes he could meditate to get rid of it. Next time two glasses less. 

He turns to the sleeping figure on the bed, reaches out and pushes the strand of hair off her face. She looks content in her sleep. Obi-Wan silently wishes her a good and peaceful life, gets up and leaves.

When he is saying goodbye to Satine a few hours later, the Force simmers again and he thinks he sees a flash of red hair, behind the landing platform. 

"I wish..." Satine tries but shakes her head. "Good luck, Obi-Wan."

"There is no such thing as luck, Satine," he bows and kisses her hand. "May the Force be with you, Duchess."

He can feel Qui-Gon's eyes on his face as he turns towards their ship. Obi-Wan doesn't visit Mandalore for the next decade. He does his best to push it out of his mind and all the feelings release into the Force.

***

6 years later Obi Wan is on Coruscant trying to practice Jar'kai with Anakin and he is surprisingly quite successful with that. Anakin doesn't like sitting still, when he has something to do he is happy. Especially when that something is holding a lightsaber. Still, today he seems distracted, Obi-Wan senses he would rather be somewhere else entirely and makes a pretty good guess where. There is a pod racing competition on the other side of Coruscant.

"Anakin, please," he sighs and hopes he radiates enough exasperation to reach his young Padawan. "Focus. Trust the Force. It will guide your movements."

"What does that even mean?" Anakin stares at him like he grew a second head. 

"I-"

He doesn't have time to answer as a bunch of younglings burst into the training room with Master Sinube on their toes. Obi-Wan sighs and scratches his growing beard. He probably should get it trimmed and get a haircut.

"Go," he says to his Padawan who is already half way through the door. "Try not to get yourself or Aayla killed. Quinlan would be very cross with me."

"Thank you, Master! Have a good day, Master! See you later, Master! I won't die, Master!" Anakin laughs and shouts and he is gone.

Obi-Wan can't help but feeling fond. His young Padawan might be the Chosen-one but for now, he is still a teenager.

"Master Kenobi if you are quite finished with your lesson, may we borrow the room?" Sinube asks.

"Ah, yes, of course." He wants to make a way to collect his cloak and over- tunics but turning around he almost crashes together with a couple of younglings. The children cannot be older than 5 or 6 years. He smiles. "Hello there."

"Hello, Master Kenobi," they echo and disperse around the room with giggles, except for one. The boy doesn't look extraordinary, perhaps for brilliant red hair but there is something about his Force signature that gives Obi-Wan pause. It feels familiar, like maybe they have met before? He doesn't think so but the feeling stays. The boy is still looking up at him, curiosity in his green eyes and Obi-Wan wonders that he isn't the only one sensing something different.

"What is your name, young one?" he asks, looking for clues. 

"Cal Kestis, sir." the boy says politely. Obi-Wan is about to correct him that he is no sir when the boy, suddenly nervous, stutters out: "May I...can I...ask?" 

"Of course."

"Why are you different?"

Obi-Wan's brows shoot up. "Different how?"

“I don’t know,” Cal is looking around Obi-Wan’s form as if he can see the Force around him. “You are different. You feel…right.”

Their eyes meet again.

"You feel right too."

***

In next year’s Obi-Wan changes his mind - Cal Kestis is everything but ordinary. Obi-Wan sees the boy here and there, always in the clutter of other younglings. His Force signature always stands out for him for some reason and he notices that Cal is also looking around as if searching for Obi-Wan when he is nearby.

It is curious but eventually Obi-Wan just accepts that he has some kind of connection with the boy. He asks Master Sinube about him next time he stumbles to their group.

"Cal," Obi-Wan says, "what is he like?"

"Oh, he is a lovely child!" the elder Master replies, "Born for wielding a lightsaber that I am sure of. He is natural with using the Force as well, and he likes meditating! He says it gives him focus." 

"Any negatives? He seems like a perfect child..." Obi-Wan trails off.

Sinube shakes his head. "He is shy, often impatient and it seems he doesn’t believe in himself and his abilities but I am sure he will build up the confidence over time. Are you interested in taking him as your Padawan, young Kenobi?" the elder Master frowns, and points finger at him. "I was under the impression you already have one."

Obi-Wan smiles. "I do have a Padawan. But I feel the Force meant for me and Cal to meet for some reason. I hope he will have the Master he deserves," he swallows bitterness that comes up with his last words. Reminded his own failure to be chosen as Padawan until Qui-Gon took mercy on him. He doesn't want Cal to go through the same. He wouldn’t wish that on any child.

***

Years fly by and the Republic is on the brink of war. He and Anakin were just assigned as protectors of the one senator Amidala. He remembers the mission he had with his old Master on Mandalore, Obi-Wan hopes they won’t spend two years on the run like the last time. Besides, he doesn’t think Anakin would have the stamina for it, he already practically bounced when he was told about their assignment – Padmé Amidala never left his mind.

Obi-Wan sees a blur of red hair before he hears him.

"Master Kenobi! Master Kenobi!" Cal is obviously very excited.

"Calm yourself, young one. Breathe." He put's steadying hand on Cal's shoulder, who takes an obligatory deep breath. "You look like you're going to burst! What is the matter?"

"Master Tapal chose me as his Padawan!"

“That is excellent news indeed!” he doesn’t bother keeping his wide smile in check when looking down at the boy. “Congratulations! Master Tapal is a kind man and I’m sure you will do well under his tutelage.” 

Padawan’s smile falls so quickly that Obi-Wan is worried he said something wrong. 

“What is it?” he reaches out.

“What if I’m not as good as he thinks? I try and do my best but sometimes…” he trails off, “I don’t want to fail him.”

“Oh, Cal,” Obi-Wan says gently. “Everyone fails sometimes. It’s only natural, we all learn from our mistakes. As long as you are persistent and do your best, your new Master won’t be anything but happy for your company and wisdom.”

Cal’s brows furrow. “Wisdom?”

The incredulousness in his voice makes Obi-Wan chuckle. “Why yes. We Masters, also learn from our Padawan’s, like you do from us. We are reminded to be patient, caring and kind and also you bring fresh points of view. The best Master/Padawan relationships are the ones where we learn from each other.”

The red head nods but then… “I admit, a little part of me always thought…”

“I cannot, Cal.” Obi-Wan bristles. He was hoping it wouldn’t be brought up. “I already have a Padawan.”

“No! No, that’s not what I meant!“ Cal bites his lip, “I meant that, well, the Force connects us somehow. I know you feel it. When I was younger I thought that maybe, you will be my Master. But I know now, and I knew for a while, that that isn’t the case… I just wonder, you know?”

And Obi-Wan knows. In any other circumstance he would like to have Cal as his learner but it was never meant to be. He was chosen to be by Anakin’s side.

"The Force works in mysterious ways," Obi-Wan says instead. "At least that is what my Master told me when I was your age. I know that's not what you wanted to hear but it will have to do. We were meant to meet and reason will be revealed to us in time."

Cal seems to think about it but he eventually nods and smiles. "I can wait."

***

Obi-Wan is on Mandalore, he thinks that this is the worst day of his life. Maul is a monster, Satine is dead, and just a couple of moments ago, he was _this_ close to turning to the dark side. He knows that Maul wants to leave him rotting in some cell, occasionally stopping by to boast and taunt Obi-Wan and so far everything is going according to his plan.

She appears out of nowhere, taking down three men in the blink of an eye, and in all honesty, Obi-Wan is impressed. And then she takes off her helmet. 

_Oh._

Her hair is significantly shorter but even though he had been drunk out of his mind he remembers. He opens his mouth to say... well, he doesn't know what, when he sees other members of Death Watch land on their platform. It's getting clear now, he doesn't know the extent of her involvement but better play it safe than being sorry. Besides, maybe she did forget him. Obi-Wan wouldn't blame her. 

"I don't believe we met," he offers. 

"Bo-Katan, "she cuts his binds with Obi-Wan's own saber and then hands it to him. Her expression leaves no room for question. "I am here to rescue you. That's all you need to know." 

He goes along with it, pondering why her name sounds familiar. It absolutely shouldn't. They never exchanged names during their night together but he is sure he heard it before. He can't quite put a finger on it.

Obi-Wan takes a jetpack from her, pretending to know what he's doing and after that all hell breaks loose. They land on the platform D-1 with Maul's followers on their backs. She has blasters in both hands, clearly knows what she is doing, shooting them down with deadly precision. Obi-Wan knew, back then, that she was a warrior, from, well, everything about her. The way she walked, talked and kept an eye on the door, as to know where the nearest escape is. But he had no idea she was this skillful. She seems to be doing more than alright, so he leaves and opens the hangar door to see complete destruction. 

"Maul must really want you dead," Bo-Katan says as she appears next to him. She looks almost impressed but there is nothing impressive about that. Maul doesn't want him to die, he just wants him to suffer.

"You have no idea," Obi-Wan says instead because this is for a longer conversation and time isn't on their side. They need to get out of here.

Eventually they get to a ship, Bo-Katan keeps shooting as a cover as he gets in, when he turns around to return the favor, she isn't following him.

"Aren't you coming?!" he shouts, because to hell with that, he is not losing anyone else today.

"Go back to your Republic and tell them what happened!" she doesn't pause firing at the enemy. 

"That will likely lead to a Republic invasion of Mandalore!" he tries to make her understand. _Please, come with me. Don't stay here._

"Yes and Maul will die! But Mandalore will survive. We always survive!” Bo-Katan turns to look at him, despair written all over her face and suddenly he knows. "Satine wanted peace. She didn't want this war, but she was no fool. The war is here and if she was still alive she'd do anything to protect this world. I understand that now. Now go!"

"You are Satine's sister, aren't you?" He doesn't need verbal confirmation, her Force signature falls from anger to grief and to rage and back to sadness. Obi-Wan never expects any favors from the universe but this is particularly cruel. "I'm so sorry."

He knows that he won't convince any Kryze to leave Mandalore, even with a promise of safety. Especially this Kryze, it seems, and so he climbs on the ramp and leaves her to fight. Obi-Wan hopes he will, no, he has to come back, someday. He needs to know that Mandalore and Bo-Katan Kryze will be okay, Satine would want it and... He could not live with himself if they weren't. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just some notes because why not:
> 
> As to why this fic and ‘Bobiwan are Cal’s parents’ headcanon even exists: there is a popular meta that Korkie is Obitine’s son and I saw it and my mind went: ‘Okay, no, but what if-“ and here we are.
> 
> After I wrote significant portion of this fic, I’ve learned that, in canon, Obi-Wan and Qui-Gon went to Mandalore, when Obi was 15. To be honest, it’s not a problem for this AU, I’d just make Obi-Wan meet Bo-Katan somewhere else, or go to Mandalore again for some reason, but I was just too lazy to rewrite. So, I kept it as it is. 
> 
> As for the timeline: in this story, Obi-Wan goes on Mandalore at 23, he spends a year or so there, protecting Satine (that’s canon) and less than a year later the Phantom Menace starts. Following that, Anakin is 9 when Cal is born. So, Cal is 10 when he is chosen as Master Tapal’s Padawan, right before Attack of the Clones, (Anakin is canonically, 19, Obi-Wan is 35). The Clone Wars take 3 years, so that puts Cal at 13 when Order 66 happens. (which could be or not, we don’t have Cal’s canon age yet)
> 
> *
> 
> There will be one more chapter. I know what you are all thinking, looking at my unfinished fics, but I promise – this one is fully written. Edited and safely on google docs, so even if my computer dies, I’ll be able to post it (*has war flashbacks with my last fic*) In the next chapter, there will be more Bo-Katan and Obi-Wan and then I’m gonna give you adult Cal and more pain and misery, cause that’s always fun.
> 
> Thank you for reading, if you made it up till here, please know that I love you, this is very niche ship and dead fandom, so I will very appreciate kudos and comments. Thanks and see you in a few days!
> 
> (Also gigantic thanks to Hanna aka[@soka-tano](http://soka-tano.tumblr.com/) on tumblr, who is that one person who actually ships Bobiwan like I do and had the patience and will, to listen to me complaining about this fic last two weeks and then went in corrected my grammar. Commas are the enemy.)


	2. Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'd say "the fluff ends here" but there was never any to begin with, so... let's get to it then.

The meeting with Bo-Katan and Ahsoka goes exactly the way Obi-Wan expects it to go – badly. They want something he cannot give them, no matter how much he wants to. And then Bo-Katan strikes where it hurts the most and Obi-Wan runs like a coward he is.

He should know better by now, as he once again remembers a conversation he had with his former Master. _“If the Force wills it, it will happen, my young Padawan. You can run but you cannot hide from your destiny.”_

Qui-Gon had rarely been wrong, so when Obi-Wan silently curses as Bo-Katan walks through the door of the viewing deck he has been hiding on, it’s to his own foolishness. 

“I can’t help you, I wish I could but I can’t,“ he says. “The Council refused to help. I’m so sorry.”

She takes a deep breath, moving her helmet from one side to another. “You sure say that a lot.”

“That’s not fair,” Obi-Wan pipes up.

“No, it isn’t. But then again, life rarely is, don’t you think?”

He looks up from where he is sitting and suddenly he is back in cantina on Mandalore, more than 12 years ago.

“You haven’t aged a bit.” He says it because it is the truth. To him she hasn’t physically changed at all, but on the inside she matured perhaps too much. War does that to a person, he knows from experience, and Bo-Katan was never pacifist to begin with. Unlike her sister.

“Ah, so you do remember. I wasn’t sure but, “she swallows, uneasiness spreading around her in waves, “that will make things easier.”

“Some things are impossible to forget.”

And there is that laugh again. Obi-Wan feels that she doesn’t laugh often any more. He can’t help feeling like it is a shame, it is a beautiful sound.

“I didn’t come to find you to try to convince you to help us invade Mandalore.” Bo-Katan takes a couple of steps and then sits down in front of him. For a moment she looks lost and scared and Obi-Wan doesn’t know what is happening. Fear is quickly replaced by determination. “There is something you should know. I never planned on telling you but… you have the right to know.”

She pauses, steadying herself. 

“You have a son.”

Obi-Wan sucks in breath. “I-”

She shakes her head, words coming out of her mouth like she can’t stop herself. “I was in that cantina because I was running from seeing my sister again. I wanted a moment for myself before I was dragged back into Satine’s politics, and… I met you and you were so different from everyone else. After our night together, I went to meet Satine and you were there with that damn saber on your hip. I was cursing myself for being such an idiot to sleep with a Jedi but it was just one night, right? You didn’t seem to care and I wasn’t going to either. So, it was easy to forget.”

Obi-Wan isn’t sure if he is even breathing anymore, hanging on her every word.

“Then a few weeks later, a medical droid told me I was with a child.”

“Why didn’t you tell me before?” Obi-Wan interrupts her, he can’t help it. “If you asked Satine to contact me, she would have. You could…”

“Could have what?” Bo-Katan let out a mirthless chuckle. “Ask my sister to contact her Jedi ex-lover, who she was still madly in love with, to help me raise our child? To ruin my life? To ruin yours? Our son’s? I just joined Death Watch, I guarantee you, they wouldn’t have looked too kindly on a Force sensitive child of a Jedi, in my belly.”

He knows she is right. It’s just hard to stomach, “So what _did_ you do?”

“I went to Kalevala.” She nods as if assuring herself she made the right decision. “I gave birth to a boy, spent a few months with him but,” her breath hitches and Obi-Wan covers her hand with his. “As I feared, he was Force sensitive. He wouldn’t have had a place on Mandalore, I couldn’t take him with me, so I left him with the family of my former nanny. They promised to take care of him and find a way for him to get to the Jedi temple when the time comes.”

He has a son. His son might be a Padawan…

“I thought he looked like you but,” Bo-Katan reaches out, touching his cheek, a tender gesture that he wouldn’t have expected a mere hour earlier, “he had red hair and green eyes. Like me.”

There is a loud snap in the Force, a hum, a static, and Obi-Wan feels like he is drowning. This is not possible. This can’t be…

“Cal.”

Her hands retreats and he feels cold. “What did you just say?”

“His name is Cal, isn’t it?” he doesn’t need confirmation, her wide and open expression is enough. “I met him. I know him. He is on Coruscant, or he was. He was send on a mission with his Master, I-“

There is a hunger in her eyes that he hasn’t seen before. Not when fighting her enemies, not when giving orders, not kissing him. 

“Is he alright?” she looks down. “Is he… happy?”

He wants to tell her that yes, he is alright and happy and that now that he knows, he will protect him and no harm will come to him. But that would be a lie and Obi-Wan Kenobi is many things but a liar is not one of them.

“I don’t know,“ he admits. “Last time I saw him he was leaving with his Master on a mission. But, Bo,” he pauses, “ he is strong with the Force, natural with lightsaber, he is a warrior and from what I’ve seen, he is brave and he has a kind heart. His Master is a good man, he will take care of him.”

“Seems we created someone extraordinary.”

“That we did.”

***

He tries to help Ahsoka and Bo-Katan as much as he can. Offer them an outer point of view, advice on battle strategy and any kind of information he has on Maul. Obi-Wan wishes he could be on Mandalore with them but he meant what he said to Bo before, he cannot let emotions cloud his judgement. This isn't about him. This isn't even about Bo-Katan, Cal or Ahsoka. The fate of the entire Galaxy will be decided soon, he needs to stay focused for everyone's sake.

But...he still can't believe he has a son. Cal has always been special, he knew that, but a son? Obi-Wan loves children, he just never imagined having any that were his own. The conversation he had with Bo-Katan still lingers in the back of his head. They created something… someone extraordinary and even if Cal might not know this right now, Obi-Wan is, and always has been, so proud of him. He just hopes he is doing well and is safe with his Master.

When he asks Rex and Bo-Katan to leave him with Ahsoka, he sees the same thing in Bo's eyes.

A private call from her comes not long after. 

"Is everything alright?" he asks without saying hello, checking over her ghostly blue form. He is being incredibly rude but he has to know. "Are _you_ alright?"

"We had an ambush on floor 11. I'm going to meet with Ahsoka to see that scum Almec," she smiles, maybe less sharply then she intended. "I'm alright. Thank you for asking…” pause, he waits, "There is never enough time to talk with you."

He nods. "I'm sorry."

"Will you ever stop apologizing for things that aren't your fault?" The look on her face is something between fond and annoyed. 

“Probably not,” Obi-Wan smiles and pushes, “I’m sorry.”

She raises one brow, shaking her head. Bo-Katan explains why she is calling: “Did you have a chance to speak with him? I hoped that maybe-“ she trails off, looking mildly upset with herself, as if wanting to know how her child is doing is some kind of offence.

“I’ve tried to contact him but he is with his Master and their squadron on Bracca, completing a mission and it is impossible to reach them with anything but an emergency.” He doesn’t say that only the Council can contact them, and while he is part of it, he doesn’t actually tell them everything. Especially with the fiasco since they asked Anakin to spy on the Chancellor. 

Seeing Bo-Katan’s expression falter, he wants to reach out and smooth out her worry. He squishes that feeling down. Too soon. Too much.

“I,” she clears her throat and looks up at him, “I would like to meet him, if he wished so. There are things I’d like to explain to him. And to you too. Maybe one day, we could…” she doesn’t finish the sentence, leaves its meaning hanging between them. He swallows, staring into her eyes, wishing he would see the green in them. There is too much unresolved…

Bo motions someone he can’t see a clear signal ‘wait’. She was right. There is never enough time for them to have an actual conversation. 

“The war is almost over,“ he finds himself saying, “I am close to capturing Grievous, the droid army will fall soon after, and Cal will come back to Coruscant. Win back Mandalore and stay alive. Please. We will talk later, I promise.”

The seasoned soldier is back as she smirks at him. “Yes, General Kenobi.” 

He gives her teasing smile back. “Lady Kryze.”

Obi-Wan ends the call. 

The ‘ _later_ ’ never comes. 

***

Vader knows who he is the moment he sees the boy. He had seen him before, trailing after Kenobi on several occasions, and he didn’t know the context back then but now he is wiser. He scans over bright red hair, green eyes, dust of freckles around his hose and the infuriating aura of confidence in being right. The boy has managed to turn Second sister against the Empire, against him and Vader feels the fury within him rise. 

He kills Trilla Suduri, he gets rid of that other Jedi as well. Darkness wallows around that one but it is no matter, Vader’s attention lies elsewhere. He is flooded with memories that aren’t his, well, not anymore, they are the man’s he killed on Mustafar, all those years ago.

_Obi-Wan joins Anakin on Negotiator's main deck. They just dispatched Ahsoka and Bo-Katan with Rex to Mandalore and are heading to Coruscant to save the Chancellor from his kidnappers. Anakin is nervous, this whole damn war is dragging on too long and now Coruscant, the Chancellor and Padmé are in danger. And Obi-Wan looks… his body is there but his mind is somewhere else. It is unusual for him, he is always perfectly focused on the situation at hand. Anakin suspects he knows what’s on his mind._

_“She shouldn’t have said that,” he says and Obi-Wan looks at him like he just noticed Anakin is in the room as well. That stings. “About Satine, I mean.”_

_“Oh,” Obi-Wan sighs, “it’s not Bo’s fault. She was just trying to save her people. I don’t blame her for that. I wish we could help, I truly do.”_

_Anakin notices something. “Bo?” he imitates Kenobi’s voice. It was meant to be teasing but his Master’s ears turn into a shade of pink Anakin hasn’t seen before. That’s very odd. Had Anakin misread the situation completely?_

_“Is there anything going on between you two?” It is a ridiculous question, he knows. His Master was never forward with him about his personal life, no matter how much Anakin wanted him to be. Even with Satine he had to connect the dots himself. So, he doesn’t really expect another answer than ‘none of your business.’_

_“Not for a very long time. No.” Obi-Wan says and looks in the distance. The statement however leaves Anakin speechless. Bo-Katan and Obi-Wan? When did that happen? How-_

_Then something snaps in Obi-Wan, like he just realized something. He comes back from any distance he just been in and turns to Anakin. His eyes are a myriad of emotions, sadness (always constant), love (for Anakin, for someone else, for everyone else), fear (tempered but still there), some that even Anakin can’t decipher. “There is something you should know. Something I trust you with more than anyone else, and if anything happened to me, I-“_

_Anakin doesn’t know what to think. The admission that his Master trusts him more than anyone else warms his heart and also leaves a pit in his stomach, that he still hasn't told him about Padmé._

_“Master, what is going on?”_

_Obi-Wan Kenobi touches his shoulder and tells him everything._

_*_

_The burning flames of Mustafar are raging around them, almost the same as the new powers within him. If they would just listen!_

_“I have brought peace, freedom, justice and security to my new Empire!”_

_“Your new Empire?” Obi-Wan says in the scolding voice of his, that is so often directed at Anakin. He hates that. He is not a child._

_“I will give you one more chance, Obi-Wan, for old times’ sake,” he doesn’t turn to look at him. He cannot. “Join me or if you won’t, leave. If they are still alive, take your lover and your son and leave! The Jedi are no more, Mandalore will fall again. Surrender. Don’t make me kill you.”_

_“Anakin, my allegiance is to the Republic, to democracy!”_

_As per his usual arrogance, his old Master doesn’t see what was offered to him. Ever the perfect Jedi. Throw it all away for a false sense of justice and the Council’s lies._

_“If you aren’t with me, then you are my enemy.” Somehow he knew it would end like this._

_“I will do what I must.”_

_“You will try.”_

_*_

Back on Nur, Vader briefly thinks what Obi-Wan Kenobi would think if he saw his son as an Inquisitor. Or his mother in that matter. He had seen Bo-Katan once since the establishment of the Empire, sent to Mandalore to ensure her reign as a regent would be painless for both sides. It was not.

“It would be wise to surrender,” he reasons, giving the boy the same chance his parents had. 

“Yeah,” the young Jedi shrugs. “It would be.” 

Vader sees red. 

Very well. Let’s see if anything from his father’s lightsaber skill rubbed off on him. 

***

“I have been expecting to see you again, Jedi.”

“I’ve been told – I am annoyingly persistent.”

That much is clear.

They are in the forest on Stewjon, because the Force loves irony. He wonders if the boy knows, if he somehow found out and that’s what brought him here. Imperial spies talked of sightings of a Jedi in this system, so naturally Vader himself went to investigate. And he found a Jedi. Just the wrong version of the one he was looking for. 

Vader hesitates. He could kill the Jedi where he stands, no more sudden surprises like the last time they’ve met, but perhaps…The boy is still Kenobi’s son and now that Vader has him in his grip, he could use him. Kenobi is hiding under some rock and Kryze is constantly in the Empire’s way, and now he has a perfect weapon against them. The Force really is on his side as the Chosen one knew all his life.

“You are so much like your mother and father. If nothing else you have their looks. But do not repeat their mistakes.”

With his words, everything stops. There is an absolute quiet in the forest. He could hear a pin drop.

“What?” it comes out more like a gasp than a question, and Vader could almost feel Cal's stance waver. He didn’t prepare for this. 

“I have known your father since I was a boy. Your mother less so but I have respected her for who she was. You look like them, let’s hope you don’t share their unfortunate personalities.”

“You are lying,” the redhead whispers, a desperate move to hold on to what he thought is the truth. (His parents were nobodies, mere farmers, his father died before he was born, his mother followed soon after, during Cal’s childbirth – or at least that’s what his surrogates told him, according to Kenobi). Vader will see that corrected in a moment. Cal‘s grip on his saber tightens. “You didn’t know them.”

“Look into the Force. I am not lying,” Vader says calmly. 

There is a flash of hurt in the young Jedi’s eyes and even when he is trying to hide it, Cal looks conflicted but positively hungry for information. If Vader could smirk he would do so right now. Desperation for knowing who he is, wins. “Who are they?”

“Why do you want to know? They didn’t care for you, boy,” Vader’s words slash deep, “but very well, I will tell you this: Your father was a traitor, a cold man who loved the Republic more than his friends. Your mother caused civil war just so she could climb on the throne over the body of her dead sister. They didn’t want you, they did not love you.”

He hit the sore spot, obviously. Cal blinks rapidly as if he is chasing off tears, and Vader continues.

“I have offered your parents the chance to live. They didn’t even have to join me, I’ve asked them to, of course, but in the end, all they had to do was to walk away. I told your father to get you and your mother, go on some backwater planet, raise you and have the peace he so wished for. Later, I offered your mother the same thing. You know what they did? They spat in my face, and called _me_ a monster. Your mother started yet another rebellion, oh, she was so good at those. Your father tried to kill me. They didn’t spare a thought for you, all they cared was for themselves,” he pauses, enjoying the pain resonating in the Force, “and they died like cowards.”

Cal’s eyes are big. He processes, as quickly as he can, what Vader just said and shuts down all the emotion that showed on his face just a couple of seconds ago. Vader sneers inwardly as that reminds him of Skywalker's old Master.

“So what you are saying is that you _murdered_ my parents, “Cal accuses, dropping lower, shifting his stance, readying for a fight, “because they chose to fight for this galaxy, because they couldn’t just stand by, playing family and watch the death and destruction you and your Master bring? Is that it? You _are_ a monster, Darth Vader.” 

The redhead ignites his double bladed weapon. 

“Revenge is not the Jedi way,” the Sith tilts his head. _Interesting._

“This isn’t revenge. This is justice and besides, as a wise man once told me: the strongest defense is a swift and decisive offense."

If Vader could roll his eyes, he would, instead he powers his lightsaber. _Disappointing…_

“You share their blind righteousness too, I see. As you wish. It was their destruction. It will be yours as well.”

Blue meets red as they both swing their weapons at the same time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, here we are at the end. I feel sorry for bullying Cal like that. Anakin can be such an ass, when he wants to be. I've enjoyed writing those last two scenes more than I probably should. To me, Anakin is always jealous of Obi-Wan, in any way imaginable. He loves him (as brother/father/lover, whatever you want) but in that possessive kind of way and he is also jealous of him because he is Master and well loved in the Council... that's pretty much canon. Now you add, that Obi-Wan has a son with Bo-Katan and they are both still alive, when Anakin lost Padmé and his child and it's a recipe for disaster. Which happens - you are welcome.
> 
> Also yeah, there are Harry Potter and His Dark Material’s influences. When Obi-Wan tells Anakin about Cal, it is very much James Potter and Peter Pettigrew situation – trusting the wrong person has long lasting consequences. 
> 
> And that's it! Thank you for reading, I hope you liked it, if you did please leave a kudos and/or a comment, no reason, it's just makes me happy!


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